Grapes

There are thousands of varieties of grapes and they are one of the oldest and most important fruits in history. There are varieties grown for wine making, juice, raisins and for the table. The European, or wine, grape (Vitis vinefera) is found in all temperate zones. The Egyptians grew them 6,000 years ago and thus began the ages of man and his favorite beverage, wine.

Other uses for grapes are important, too, and the types of grapes used for juices, raisins, and table are found in abundance at this time of year in any market. Around here, you can go pick your own at orchards and vineyards like Domaine Da Vine in Wisconsin. I have made juice, jelly, syrup, salads, fruit cups, warm compotes and eaten them out of hand—but I never made a pie from grapes. Nor had I ever tasted one until I decided to make a recipe for grape pie as a possible pie-of-the-month for this column. And so began a search for a recipe for a delicious grape pie.

Well, I didn’t have to go far to find one—and one that is so easy! I served it to guests at the Candlelight Inn Bed and Breakfast and they wanted the recipe—which is the best way to tell if people really like something. But while this pie is easy, gorgeous, delicious and inexpensive to make—my curiosity always gets the best of me. Now, I must try some other grape varieties and other recipes that I found. Since the apples are coming fast, I thought the Green Grape-Apple Pie would be good and I was right!

Streusel Red Grape Pie

Unbaked 9” pie shell
4 ½ cups seedless red grapes
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
Streusel ( recipe follows)

Streusel: Combine ½ cup regular rolled oats, ½ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup flour. Cut in ¼ cup butter to distribute evenly.

Place grapes and ½ cup water into saucepan. Heat, crushing a few grapes lightly as they soften; leave most whole. When grapes begin to give up some juice, add sugar, tapioca, lemon juice and salt. Place mixture in pastry-lined pie pan. Sprinkle on Streusel. Bake in hot oven (425 F.) 35 to 40 minutes.

Green Grape-Apple Pie

Pastry for 2-crust pie
2 cups seedless green grapes
3 cups sliced peeled apples
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
¼ tsp. ground cardamom
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter

Combine grapes, apples, sugar, tapioca, spices and salt. Turn into pastry-lined 9” pie pan. Dot with butter. Adjust top crust; flute edges and cut vents. Bake in hot oven (425 F.) 50 to 60 minutes.


You may have been reading about red wine as a health and even youth-enhancing food. It is the reservetrol in the red grape skins that makes red wine such a healthy choice. The red grapes in our first pie will do the same thing—so now we can add a lovely dessert to our list of healthy foods: red wine, dark chocolate and a pie!

Since the crust is so essential to the goodness of the pie, and since I am very opinionated about how to make good pie crust, I am including the best pie crust recipe that I’ve ever found:

Pastry for 2-crust pie

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup + 2 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
5-7 Tbsp. ice water

Measure flour into wide-based bowl. Add salt. Measure vegetable shortening with the water displacement method: Measure 1 1/3 cups water into 2-cup measuring cup. Fill cup with shortening until water level reaches 2 cup mark. (Be sure that all shortening is beneath the water). Discard water and put shortening (2/3 cup) into bowl with flour and salt. Add 2 Tbsp. shortening. Cut into flour, using pastry blender or two knives until coarse crumbs form. Add water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, tossing lightly with a fork until dough just begins to hold together. Using your hand, gather dough into a ball. Refrigerate, wrapped until ready to roll out. Flour board liberally. Cut dough ball in half; shape half into flat disc. Roll out on floured board with rolling pin (preferably cloth-covered), using light strokes starting at center of circle and rolling to a 1/8” thickness. Draw a long-bladed, offset spatula under crust, carefully, until entire circle is free from board. Roll loosely around rolling pin. Center pin with crust on it over the pie pan and unroll the crust.